Safety speed-limiting means.



N0. 700,49]. Patented May 20, I902.

G. W. HENRICKS. SAFETY SPEED LIMITING MEANS.

(Application filed Oct. 14, 1901.)

3 Sheets-$heet I.

(No Model.)

Keg M ATTORNEY.

No. 700,49l. Patented May 20, I902.

a. w. HENBICKS.

SAFETY SPEED LIMITING MEANS.

(Application filed Oct. 14, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

22 23 Ill- WITNESSES.-

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 20, I902.

No. 700,49l.

G. W. HENBICKS.

SAFETY SPEED LIMITING MEANS.

(Application filed Oct. 14, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(N o Model.

10 was WITNESSES fi INVENTOR.

ATTORNEK m: NORRIS vETans co;wm'o-umo. WASHINGYON. o. c.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GARRETT \V. H'ENRICKS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TOIIENRIOKS'NQVELTY COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

SAFETY SPEED- LIMI' HNG MEANS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,491, dated May 20,1902. Application filed October 14:, 1901. Serial No. 78,547. (Nomodel.)

To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GARRETT W. HENRIoKs, a citizen-of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State ofIndiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SafetySpeed-Limiting Means; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to mechanism for safely limiting the speed ofdriven shafts that receive motion from driving-shafts or from wheelsthereon which normally run at high velocity, and it has particularreference to small electricity-generating machines that are designed foruse in connection with igniters of gas-engines which must be drivenimmediately upon starting the engine, and as the latter attains itsnormal high rate of speed the generator must be prevented from aequiringsuch a high velocity as would be damaging thereto, the object of theinvention being to provide improved and simple means for safelyprotecting the generator from the evils of excessive speed when drivenby an abnormally large pulley or wheel, the driven pulley of thegenerator being necessarily of infinitely small proportions relatively.

A further object is to provide a controller that will not be obstructivein use when the face of the driving-wheel is narrow and thegenerator-pulley acquiring its motion by direct contact therewith.

Considered broadly, the invention consists in the application to theshaft of a generator of a loose pulley and controlling mechanismincluding friction faced elements, whereby the pulley may be normallylocked to and also released from the shaft, together with novel forms ofparts embraced therein and peculiar combination and arrangement ofparts; and it consists also in an incased controller disposed contiguousto the pulley and also in -bearings'for the pulley which are adjustablemanually and also automatically for coacting with the wedging elements.

In order to show the peculiar functions of my devices, they areillustrated in connection with a simple form of generator and agas-engine, and it will be obvious that my invention will be applicableto many or all forms of small generators and other machines.

Specifically, the invention consists in the new and novel parts and inthe combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter particularlydescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is aside elevation of a generatorhaving my invention applied thereto, by which its compact form will beseen; Fig. 2, a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional View of thegenerator, show ing principal elements thereof; Fig. 3, a horizontalsectional view of the generator, showing my improvement-s connectedtherewith; Fig. 4, a central sectional view of the loose pulley aspreferably constructed; Fig. 5, a fragmentary vertical longitudinalcentral sectional view of some principal parts of the generator to whichmy improvements are applied; Fig. 6, a side view of part of the hearingfor the pulley and also forming part of the wedging mechanism; Fig. 7, afragmentary end elevation of the generator and portions of myimprovements connected therewith, portions being in section and showingthe cushion for protecting the driven pulley against the thrusts of thedriving wheel when operating in contact; Fig. 8, a central sectionalview showing the internal construction of the pulley and the controlleras preferably formed; Fig. 9, .a side elevation of a gas-engine withwhich my improved devices are in operative connection; Fig. 10, aninside plan view of the controller-casing and adjustable support, inwhich parts of the wedging mechanism are shown; Fig. 11, a rear planview of the pulley as preferably formed; Fig. 12, a sectional view ofparts of the wedging mechanism, showing the guides therefor; Fig. 13, anend view of a part of the wedging mechanism connected with thegenerator-shaft; Fig. 14, an end view of the socket of a detachableportion of the generator-shaft; Fig. 15, an edge view of one of thewedging parts shown in Fig. 12; Fig. 16, a central sectional view of thepulley and controller, showing modifications in the details thereof;Fig. 17, a central sectional view of the pulley and connecting parts,taken transversely of the axis thereof; Figs. 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22,detached parts of modified form; and Fig. 23, a view similar to Fig. 16,showing other modifications in the details of construction.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe drawings.

In order to readily apply myimprovements to various generator-shafts,they are usually constructed on a short shaft complete, which has asocket that may be fitted to an end of the generator-shaft proper, so asto be an extension thereof; but in new generator-work the improvementsmay be connected directly to the generator-shaft.

A generator which is particularly well adapted to be benefited by theuse of my improvements comprises features which will now be describedbriefly and with which they are advantageously combined. A main base ais adapted to be anchored and support the whole generator mechanism, andpreferably it has a cover-plate a,and a movable generator-base b ismounted upon the cover-plate or may be directly upon the main base. Apair of opposing pole-pieces c 0, each having a pair of poles c cproper, are rigidly secured to the base I), and a pair of opposing headsat at, having each a journal housing and hearing, are secured rigidly tothe pole-pieces. A generator-shaft e is mounted in the bearings of saidheads and has a suitable armaturef and a commutator g, a compound magnetit being connected to the pole-pieces c c. The shaft c extends outwardlybeyond one of its bearings, and my improved pulley 't' and controllerare connected with the extended portion of the shaft. The pulley isdesigned to be driven by direct peripheral contact with a wheel j of agas-engine and also may he quickly adapted to be driven by a belt. Thebase 1) is connected to the base a by a pivot 7c, and also there is amovable connection at the ends opposite the pivot, the base a having arecess Z, intersected by bores m m. A block W, is movable in the recessand is secured to the base I) by a bolt 0, the block having a borethrough which a gnide-rodp extends, the rod reaching through the bores mm to abutments q q. A spring 1 is seated between the plate 1 and theblock a and provides the cushion for the generator parts and the pulleyand controller. The pole-pieces have apertures :23, into whichbrush-holders s s are inserted, and circuitwires '6 t connect thebrush-holders with the binding-posts it it, having electricalcommunication with the igniters through the explosion-chamber Q) and bymeans of the cylinder to of the engine.

In carrying out myinvention I may employ parts that may be slightlydifferent in different cases, but all operating substantially alike andequally effective in practice, the modifiroogiel cations being rather amatter of taste and convenience.

As preferably constructed, the pulley t is designed to be locked to thegenerator-shaft by means of its bearings. It maybe mounted directly onthe shaft 6 or on a removable extension c' thereof, the latter havingasocket 1 and a set-screw 2, whereby to connect it with the main part ofthe shaft 6 close to the bearing 1 For the sake of brevity the extensionQ will be hereinafter considered as essentially the generator-shaft, andeither it or the shaft proper has a conical bearing-face 3 rigidtherewith and a movable bearingsleeve 4, having aconical bearing-face 5and a conical wedging face (i, the sleeve working over a spline 7, setinto the shaft.

The pulley t' has a belt-groove 8 in its rim, so that it may be drivenby a circular belt, and in some casesanon-conducting false rim 9, ofrubber or the like, is cemented in the groove for making direct contactwith the driving wheel or pulley. In the pulley i is a receptacle 10 forcontaining lubricating oil or grease, which may be inserted through aself-closing valve 11. At the sides of the pulleyt are annular beveledbearing-faces 13, in which are oilways 12, communicating with. thereceptacle 10, and these faces 13 are in contact with the faces 3 and 5,whereon the pulley rotates when driven at high speeds and whereby theshaft may be driven when the pulley moves at low speeds by means of thewedging mechanism of the controller.

In order that the controller may present no projections externally thatmight be a source of danger to attendants and at the same time becompact and occupy only a limited space on the generator-shaft, theparts are shortas measured on the shaft and the movable parts allinclosed, the case providing a guard also for retaining broken partsthat might fail in operation. The inclosing case is employed also aspart of the functional mechanism coacting with the pulley and isadjustably connected with the generator-shaft, a simple means thereforbeing screw-threads. The case comprises a disk-like front 14: inconnection with the driven shaft and having a flange 15 and preferably aback plate 17 fitted closely in the flange and loosely over the sleeve4. A binding-nut 18 is fitted on the driven shaft, so as to engage andlock the case to the shaft adjustably. In the case are like wedgingblocks 19 20, normally forced elastically toward each other and againstthe wedge-like conical face 6 of the sleeve 4by means of opposingsprings 21, hearing against the inside face of the flange 15, the blockshaving beveled faces 22, adapted to slide against the face 6, and alsohaving suitable guides, such as apertures 23, in which are rods 24 tokeep the blocks parallel.

In a slightly-modified form the pulleyt'has its bearing directly on thegenerator-shaft adjacent to a disk 25, that is attached to the ro -e91socket l, which may be attached to the inner bored end of the part 6,into which the shaft 6 extends, or the socket 1 may directly connectwith the shaft 6. A thin washer 26, of leather or other suitablematerial, is preferably placed between the pulley and the disk 25 and asimilar washer 27 at the opposite side of the pulley. A combined sleeveand disk 28, having a central conical wedge member 29, is placed againstthe washer 27 and movable on the shaft, but rotating therewith. Blocks19 and 20 operate, as in the former case, with the wedge member 29 inthe case as above described, the blocks being adapted to coacttherewith, as in Fig. 16.

In another modified form the pulley i, as in Fig. 23, bears on the shaftdirectly, and a disk 25 and washers 26 and 27 are used, and against thewasher 27 is a combined sleeve and disk 30, having a wedge-like conicalface 31, covering nearly the whole side of the disk. The

. same case as before is employed, and in it are wedging blocks 82 and33, pressed by coiled springs 35, seated in recesses 34, or platesprings21 may be used, and any suitable guides for the blocks may be employed.The blocks have suitably-adapted faces 36, operating against the face31.

It will be obvious that while the case which incloses and supports partsof the controller mechanism is described as comprising a front 14 andflange 15, these need not necessarily be continuous, but may be suitablyperforated, if desired.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the construction and mode ofoperation of the controller mechanism are substantially the same in eachform described, the pulley-bear ings being different and well known inthe modifications.

In operation when the driving-wheel begins to rotate the generator willalso be driven by means of the pulley t', which is locked automaticallyto the generator-shaft, or practically so, and when the velocity of thegenerator may have increased to a safe or desirable limit thecentrifugal force will cause the wedging blocks to withdraw wholly orpartially from contact with the wedge faces of the opposing members, andthus releasing the pressure against the pulley i will permit the latterto rotate more or less freely on its bearing without imparting eitherany or all of its velocity to the generator-shaft. /Vhen the latter hasdecreased in velocity, the blocks will again operate to bind the pulleyto the shaft and drive the generator until it again reaches a safelimit, when the action of the controller will be repeated, and so on.Should it be desired to change the rate of speed of the generator," thecontroller may be adjusted by means of the screw-threads, the case beingusual operating speed operates substantially as a loose pulley and bymeans of its frictional surfaces drives the generator quite uniformly ata rate of speed entirely within the danger limit, the amount of contactbeing very slight, but sufficient for operating such small low-powermachines.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A mechanismineludinga driving-wheel, a driven wheel operated by means of thedriving-wheel, a driven shaft, an inclosing case attached to the drivenshaft, and a controller inclosed in the case and operativelyconnectingthe driven wheel with the driven shaft, whereby the driven shaft may beactuated by the driven wheel and its rate of speed limited to a lesserproportional rate of that of the driven wheel.

2. A mechanism including a driving-wheel, a driven wheel operated bymeans of the driving-wheel, a driven shaft, an inclosing case, wedgingmembers mounted on the shaft and having operative connection with thedriven wheel, and wedging-blocks inclosed in the case and adapted tocoact with the wedging members, whereby the driven shaft may be actuatedand the speed rate thereof limited to a fractional part of the speed towhich the driven wheel may attain.

3. A mechanism including a driving-wheel, a driven shaft, a drivenwheel, an inclosing case, a wedging member mounted so as to movelongitudinally on the driven shaft and operatively connected with thedriven wheel, a wedging-block mounted in the inclosing case and havingsliding contact with the wedge member, and a spring pressed between thewedging-block and the rim of the inclosing case, whereby the drivenshaft may be actuated and its speed limited to a fractional part of thespeed of the driven wheel.

4. A mechanism includingadriving-wheel, a driven shaft, a driven wheel,a controller comprising a wedging member, a case having a flangeextending substantially to the wedging member, wedging-blocks in thecase, and springs in the case engaging the wedgingblocks, whereby thedriven wheel mayimpart variable-speed motions to the driven shaft.

5. A mechanism including a driving-wheel, a driven shaft, a driven wheeloperated by means of the driving-wheel, a spring operating so as toelastically hold the driven wheel against the periphery of the drivenwheel, a wedging member movable on the driven shaft and operativelyconnecting with the driven wheel,wedging-blocks coacting with thewedging members, springs for the wedging-blocks, and a case inclosingand supporting the wedging-blocks and the springs and attached to thedriven shaft, whereby the velocity of the driven shaft may be limited toa predetermined rate relative to the rate of speed of the driven wheel.

6. A speed-limiting meansincluding a driving-wheel, a driven shaft, adriven wheel operated by means of direct contact with the periphery ofthe driving-wheel and mounted revolubly on the driven shaft, a springoperating to elastically force the driven Wheel constantly against thedriving-wheel, a conical wedging member operatively connected with thedriven wheel, an inclosing case attached to the driven shaft, andcontrolling mechanism mounted in the case and coactin g with the conicalwed ging member, whereby the driven shaft may be actuated at variablespeeds by the driven wheel and the velocity of the driven shaft limited.

7. An electricity-generator comprising a main base, a supplemental base,an armatureshaft, a driven pulley rotative on the armature-shaft, aninclosing case adjustably attached to the armature-shaft and providedwith inclosed power-controlled mechanism whereby the driven pulley maybe locked to the armature shaft and speed controlled means whereby thedriven pulley may be released from connection with the armatureshaft,adriving-wheel in contact with the rotative driven pulley,and a cushionfor absorbing the thrusts imparted by the driven wheel to thedrivenpulley.

8. In an electricity-generating machine, a fixed main base, a movablebase upon the main base, journal-housings supported by the movable base,a generator-shaft mounted rotatively in said housings, the spring actingagainst the movable base, a driven wheel mounted rotatively on thegenerator-shaft, a driving-wheel in constant contact with the drivenwheel, and automatically-controlled mechanism whereby the driven wheelis caused to have intermittent operative contact with thegenerator-shaft, in combination with a gas-engine and circuit-Wiresconnecting the gas-engine with the generating-machine.

9. In an electricity-generating machine,the combination with adriving-wheel and a driven shaft, of a driven wheel rotative on thedriven shaft and operated by means of the drivingwheel, asupporting-case adjustably secured to the driven shaft, a controller inthe case and coacting therewith and also with the driven wheel, wherebythe driven shaft may be actuated and the speed rate thereof limited to afractional part of the speed to which the driven wheel may attain.

10. In an electricity-generating machine, the combination with agas-engine having a rotative Wheel, of a generator-shaft provided with asleeve movable longitudinally on the shaft and having a frictionalcontact-face, a driven wheel mounted rotatively on the generator-shaftand having variably-forced contact with the frictional contact-face ofthe movable sleeve, and also having constant contact with the rotativewheel of the gas-engine, and means whereby the force of the contactbetween the movable sleeve and the driven wheel may be automaticallygraduated.

11. In an electricity-generating machine,

the combination with a drivingwheel, a driven wheel having a frictionalcontact-face, a generator-shaft, means for generating and conducting acurrent, a gas-engine having a rotative wheel in constant operativeconnection with the driven wheel, and a controlling mechanism, of amovable connector having a frictional contact-face adapted to engage thecontactface of the driven wheel andpartially support the driven wheel inoperative connection with the controlling mechanism, whereby the drivenwheel may impart variable rates of speed to the generator-shaft.

12. In an electricity-gencrating machine, means for generating andconducting an electric current, a driven shaft, a driven wheel, arelatively fixed bearing at one side of the driven wheel, a relativelymovable hearing at the opposite side of the driven wheel, in combinationwith an antomatically-operated controller cooperating with the movablehearing, whereby the driven wheel may be caused to have intermittentoperative connection with the driven shaft, and a driving-wheel havingoperative connection with the driven wheel.

13. In an electricity-generating machine, the combination with adriving-wheel, of a base, adriven shaft supported by means of the base,a driven wheel rotative on the driven shaft and driven by means of thedrivingwheel, a supporting-case adj ustably secured to the driven shaft,a controller supported in the case and coacting therewith and also withthe driven wheel whereby the driven shaft may be actuated and itsvelocitylimited to a lesser rate than that of the driven wheel, and acushion interposed operatively between the driving wheel and the basewhereby the thrusts of the driving-wheel against the generating-machinemay be absorbed.

14:. In an electricity-generating machine, the combination of a mainbase, journaled housings supported substantially by the base, agenerator-shaft mounted rotatively in the housings, a driven wheelhaving a plurality of friction-faces and mounted rotatively on thegenerator-shaft, friction members having operative connection with thegenerator-shaft and also with one of the plurality of frictionfaces,automatically-controlled mechanism whereby the friction members may becaused to have intermittent operative contact with the friction-face,whereby the driven wheel may impart variable rates of speed to thegenerator-shaft, in combination with a gasengine, having a driving-wheelin operative connection with one of the plurality of friction-faces, andcircuit-wires connecting the gas-engine with the generating-machine.

15. In an electricitygenerating machine, a driven shaft, an inclosingcase attached to the driven shaft, a driven wheel mounted rotatively onthe driven shaft, a movable looking device adapted to engage the drivenpulley, and controller members operating against the locking device andalso within the case and against the front and the flange or rimthereof, in combination with means for generating and conducting anelectric current, and a gas-engine having a rotative wheel in operativeconnection with the driven wheel.

16'. In an electricity-generating machine, the combination of a drivenshaft, a driven wheel rotative on the driven shaft, means connected withthe driven shaft whereby electricity may be generated, a sleeve mountedso as to move longitudinally on the driven shaft and havingafrietion-face in operative connection with the driven wheel, meanswhereby the sleeve may be automatically moved to and from the drivenwheel and having a supporting member adjustably secured to the drivenshaft whereby the driven wheel may impart variable-speed motions to thedriven shaft, in combination with a gas-engine, circuit-wires connectingthe gas-engine with the generating-machine, and a drivingwheel connectedoperatively to the driven wheel.

17. In an eleetricity-generating machine, the combination of adriving-wheel, adriven shaft, a driven Wheel rotative on the drivenshaft and having an elastic rim in contact with the periphery of thedriving-wheel, a sleeve movable longitudinally on the driven shaft androtatively therewith and having a friction-faeein operative connectionwith the driven wheel, a supporting member secured to the driven shaft,antomatically-operated means carried by the supporting memberandoperatively connected with the sleeve, whereby the driven shaft may beactuated by the driven Wheelandthe thruststhereofabsorbed, and thevelocity of the driven shaft limited to a predetermined rate relative tothe peripheral speed of the driving-Wheel, with a gas-engine actuatingthe driven wheel, and circuit-wires connecting the gas-engine with thegenerating-machine.

18. In an electricity-generating machine, a driving-wheel, a drivenshaft, a driven wheel rotative on the driven shaft and having theperiphery thereof in contact with the periphery of the driving wheel, asupporting member secured to the driven shaft, and movable membershaving frictional contact-faces normally connecting the driven wheel tothe supporting member whereby the driven wheel may actuate the drivenshaft and whereby the driven wheel may be disconnected from the drivenshaft, in combination with a gasengine actuating the driving-wheel, andcircuit-Wires connecting the gas-engine with the generating-machine.

19. In an electricity-generating machine, the combination of a drivenshaft, means for generating electricity connected with the driven shaft,a driven wheel rotative on the driven shaft and having a frictionalcontaetface, a controlling mechanism, and a movable connector having africtional contact-face adapted to engage the contact-face of the drivenwheel in operative connection with the controlling mechanism, wherebythe driven wheel may impart variable rates of speed to the driven shaft,with a gas-engine, a drivin g-wheel actuated by the gas-engine andconnected with the driven wheel, and circuitwires connecting thegasengine with the means for generating electricity.

20. In an electricity-generating machine, the combination of the mainbase, the generator-shaft, the generator connected with thegenerator-shaft, the drivenwheel rotative on the generator-shaft, thegroove in the periphery of said wheel, the supporting member socured tothe generator-shaft, and the controller mechanism operatively connectingthe supporting member with said driven wheel, with the gas-engine, thedriving-wheel operatively connected with said driven Wheel, and thecircuit-wires connecting the gas-engine with the generator.

.21. In an electricity-generating machine, the combination of thegenerator-shaft, the generator connected with said shaft, thesupplemental extension-shaft having the socket connected detachably tosaid generator-shaft, the driven wheel rotative on said extensionshaft,the supporting member secured to said extension-shaft, the movableconnector and the controller connected with the supporting member andadapted to actuate the movable connector, with the gas-engine, thedrivingwheel actuating the driven Wheel, and the circuit-wiresconnecting the gas-engine with the generator.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GARRETT \V. IIENRICKS.

Vi tnesses:

HARRY D. PIERSON, E. T. SILVIUS.

